A/N: Thank you to everyone that kept up with the plethora of chapters I posted this weekend! I don't know what came over me, but I was compelled to bring Sookie into the light. I hope that Chapter 17 puts a smile on your faces. Thanks for reading, and I'll see you at Chapter 18!


It's About Power

Chapter 17

I met Aaron, Eric's day man, when he came to the house to pick me up at four in the afternoon on a cold and damp day one week later. Aaron was about six feet tall, shorter than Eric, but taller than Bill or Sam. He had a crop of styled black hair sprouting from his head, a few strands of which dipped down over his forehead. His green eyes danced like sprites, and his mouth twitched into a smile as soon as he saw me. He took my bags, both of them, and carried them around to the trunk of a pretty blue Cadillac.

"Howdy," he greeted me cheerfully. He took my hand and shook it firmly. I looked back in the house to make sure I'd taken care of everything. I locked the door and stuck my keys in my purse. Amelia had agreed to bring in my mail and newspaper while I was gone, and I, in turn, agreed to send her a post card and call her at least twice when I wasn't having too much fun.

"Mr. Northman told me you're a little iffy about personal space, so if I get to be a bother, you just tell me, alright?" Aaron was bubbly, and I could tell, straight away, that he was a little light in the loafers. That didn't bother me any, I assure you. It's just something you notice about a person, same as their eye color or the way they style their hair. Aaron was gay and effeminate too. At the same time, though, he was a tall and muscular man.

"Sure," I agreed. So Eric had noticed and was sure to mention it to Aaron. I found that interesting. I dug into my purse and pulled out my confirmation information. We were leaving from the Shreveport Regional Airport at seven o'clock. According to my itinerary, we were flying to Atlanta, changing planes, and then hopping on a second plane to get to JFK Airport in New York.

"Have you ever been to the Mandarin Oriental? I can't believe we're staying at such a nice place! I mean, sure, I've been traveling with Mr. Northman before, but usually we stay at four star places. Heck, he's just a man with a coffin, and I'm just his day guy. We're not trying to impress anybody, you know? I don't know. I heard the conference was at this hotel, so maybe that's why we're staying there. Am I talkin' too fast, sugar? You're awfully quiet."

"What?" I blinked. Honestly, I'd stopped paying attention. I didn't know anything about the hotel we'd be staying at. Heck, I'd never even heard of it. The only hotel I knew anything about was the Plaza, and only because Monica and Chandler wanted to have drinks there after they got engaged. Yes, I watched a lot of television after the big break-up. I could tell you that show's plot backwards and forwards.

"Sorry, I'll just shush up. I just love traveling. Usually I'm not such a busy body, but then, I don't always have such nice girls to talk to. It's just business, you know? Usually it's bills to pay and businessmen to deal with. None of them are too nice, and none of them are as pretty as you, if you don't mind me saying."

I would have blushed if I hadn't tuned out his incessant chatter. Aaron didn't even seem to notice that I wasn't paying attention. He kept right on talking, blathering about his life, his work for Eric, his various jobs, all that sort of thing. I closed my eyes until the car stopped. An hour had passed. I'd actually managed to sleep through the hour long drive.

Aaron took my bags (a hanging suit bag and a rolling suitcase) and his, and guided me to the check-in counter. I'd never been on a plane before, and I didn't know the first thing about flying. I could tell that the airline employee was frustrated with me. She tapped her fingers on the keyboard hidden behind the desk. I pulled out my driver's license and my confirmation sheet. I didn't have Eric's credit card, but she said that was okay. She didn't need it. It cost money to check my bags, but Aaron took care of it. He reached right past me and handed the woman about fifty dollars in cash. Color me impressed. I squirmed out of line and let Aaron check in too. He delivered our bags to the security folks, and we went to wait in the first class passenger line for a security check.

"We're flying first class?" I blinked and looked at my boarding pass. Yep, it definitely said first class. Wow. I was being spoiled.

"Yep. Mr. Northman made sure I knew you liked your elbow room. I reserved the extra seat next to you so you won't be crammed in next to somebody else. Have you flown before?"

"No, never," I shook my head.

"Well, planes are pretty cramped. I'm sitting in coach, but I'm in the first aisle behind your section. If you need anything, you just ring for the attendant, or you yell for me and I'll come visit you, okay?"

I didn't know what I'd need while we were in the air, but I nodded okay. When we reached the front of the line, I took off my shoes and coat and put them on the conveyer belt with my purse. I checked the pockets of my slacks twice before I walked under the metal detector. I passed through safety and stood at the other end. Aaron went through the scanner twice. He'd left his keys and some loose change in one of his pockets.

When we were finally through to the other side, free and clear in the terminal, I decided to buy a little snack for the plane. I waited in line at the bookstore with a magazine and a bag of chips while Aaron used the men's room. By the time we go to the terminal, they were getting ready to board first class passengers. I walked cautiously down the long tube that led to the plane. There was a little gap in the floor between the tube and the plane itself. I hopped over it, the way one hops over a crack in the sidewalk. I found my seat and curled into it. An attendant, pretty with dyed blond hair and brown eyes, asked me if I'd like anything. Wow. So this was first class, huh? I ordered a glass of ice water, and she brought it to me in a water glass with a stem. That was ritzy, right there.

The trip to Atlanta only lasted an hour. I stared out the window the entire time, never even cracking open the binding on my magazine. Even the clouds were fascinating. I tucked my chips into my bag when the attendant brought me a plate of sliced cheese, apples, and grapes. Oh, it was divine. I tried to think of a way to thank Eric when we got to New York. I almost considered hugging him. The thought of it sent shivers up my arms, but maybe he deserved it? I'd have to think about it, long and hard. That was a big step for me. It put me right out of my comfort zone. But this was all so incredible. Whatever I gave him, it would have to be something big.

In Atlanta, we changed planes. I was in first class again, the seat beside me empty. The new attendant, a petite woman with red hair named Susie, offered me two dinner options. I chose the chicken with pesto, and I had a glass of Coke with it, served in a real glass. That didn't seem particularly safe on an airplane, but I wasn't about to question it. I stretched out across my two seats while I ate. When I finished, I curled my head up against the leather seat back and took another nap.

I woke up when I heard the captain speaking over the intercom system. We were landing in New York City and I just had to see it. I pressed my face to the cool glass and stared out at the well-lit city skyline. Wow. I can't even describe how incredible it was. I'd never been to such a big city before. I was up North, in Yankee country. Gran would probably scream with delight, and probably be a little judgmental too. I watched as we descended and I felt a little seasick when he touched down on the runway. That definitely wasn't a feeling I would miss. I'd have to make sure I was asleep for any future landings. Yuck.

Aaron and I took a taxi from the airport after he collected our bags at the baggage claim. My heart was aflutter with excitement. I was Carrie Bradshaw, in a taxi cab in New York City! I even bounced a little on the leather seat. Aaron laughed at me. We both stared in awe at the great sweeping façade of the hotel. It was a contemporary building, not like some of the other skyscrapers in the city. Across the street, right there within walking distance, was Central Park. Wow. I got out of the cab and stared up at the two towers that held the rooms we'd be staying in. My knees wobbled a little. Here I was, in New York City, staying at a hotel that was literally a hundred feet away from Central Park. Aaron handed our bags to a bell hop and we darted inside, both of us squeaking with delight.

"Miss Stackhouse," the concierge nodded. She handed me a plastic card. "This is your key to the Taipan Suite on the 30th floor. Please, don't hesitate to call the operator. We are happy to assist you and Mr. Northman with anything you may require." I swallowed. What did she mean by that? I waited while Aaron got his own key and we followed the bellhop to the elevator. Aaron got off at the fifteenth floor and told me he'd see me in a few minutes. I kept riding up, up and up, to the 30th floor. I stepped off the elevator and the bellhop led me down the hall to one of six rooms on the entire floor. He knocked quietly on the door and waited. After a second, the door opened. Guess who was behind it? Just guess.

Yep. It was Eric Northman himself. He smiled at me and stepped to the side. I walked into the room, unsure of myself and unsure of Eric. The bellhop put my bags on the floor and left. The door clicked shut. I sat heavily down on a sofa cushion. Well okay then.

"It isn't what you think," Eric said immediately. He leaned one hand on the wall and opened a pair of French doors to a stand-alone bedroom. It had huge plate glass windows and an enormous bed with creamy brown linens. I got up off the sofa to look through the doors.

"This is your room, Sookie. I told you that while you were here, I wouldn't leave you alone. This is a very large and unusual place. I didn't want you to be frightened. This way, I'm close by if you need me. My room is on the other side of this suite." He pointed across the extensive living room to another set of doors. I took a deep breath. Trust, Sookie. Just trust him. He's been so sweet to you, so incredibly generous and kind. At least try to give him the benefit of the doubt.

But I could only give so much. I was still nervous.

I thought about the hug I'd considered on the plane. The flight had been part of that incredible generosity. He didn't need to keep my feelings in mind for the plane ride. I would have been okay in coach. Sure, I would have been nervous and uncomfortable, but I was working for him. I could have dealt with it. And I didn't need to be in this humungous suite with him either. I could have had a regular room in a much smaller hotel. That would have been okay. I didn't need all this. I didn't need to be treated this way. I could do it. And I knew he would appreciate it.

"Eric?" I whispered. Every ounce of my personal strength went into pushing myself into that embrace. I lost the will to speak, and I couldn't stop my knees from rattling against each other. I was channeling "the little engine that could." You can do this, Sookie. You can do this.

"Yes?" Eric asked. He looked down at me. His eyes were so clear, like looking up into the sky on a bright summer day. I could see everything for miles and miles, up into the atmosphere.

"Thank you," I said. My voice was so soft that I wasn't sure he heard me. I put my arms around him. He enveloped me like one of Gran's afghan blankets. I felt claustrophobic, trapped and constricted, but I let the hug take its course. He let go of me after several seconds. My body was stiff and sore from that stiffness. I was plainly and obviously uncomfortable. But Eric was giving me a hint of a smile.

"No, Sookie," he said gently. He touched my cheek, and though I flinched a little, I didn't pull away. "Thank you."